Her Name Was Caroline
by Halls of Science
Summary: Wheatley had no idea what his fleshy past contained - or that it even existed - but when cold metal became warm blood once again, his memories started to piece together a devastating story.
1. Gone

**A/N: Well, I'm working on another multi-chapter story. I've yet to finish this story (I'm on part four as of late), but I'm confident that I will some time.**

**Also, the first few parts will suck. That's guaranteed. It'll get better—I promise.**

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><p><strong>I. Gone<strong>

Wheatley had been online for exactly two weeks (that he remembered, anyhow) before She killed all of the humans in the facility.

He'd been doing his job—looking after the humans in cryosleep. It was a rather normal day, he had just finished his rounds about the cryosleep chambers. No one had died that day. It was all fine. All fine until he got bored, that is.

He rolled along his management rail that went throughout the chambers. He went in circles until he noticed a path that certainly not been there before. Curious, he followed it. It seemed to slope upwards.

He went about this new path for quite a while before he realized he had not seen any humans that day. Well, besides the ones in cryosleep—but they didn't do much, now did they?

He started to panic. Did they leave him? No, they wouldn't do that… would they? The rail he'd been following came to an abrupt stop. He clanged quite loudly against the ceiling. He waited for someone to come yell at him for being such a bloody klutz, but no one came. He hesitantly rolled further along.

He approached the offices of various scientists. Nobody was here, either. It was quite eerie, Wheatley decided. Though maybe they were at some kind of meeting… they often didn't tell him things. Didn't think he was important enough, them.

He didn't realize he'd come to a door until he'd smacked straight into it. Again, he shut his optic and quivered in fear as he waited for someone to scream at him. Nobody did.

The door he'd banged into was locked. _I'll have to hack it, then, _he mused.

Once he… _hacked _the door, he rolled right in. The room he'd entered had yet another room inside itself. The latter was made entirely of glass walls. Inside he saw chairs, desks, a projection screen… On one of the glass walls, it read 'Employee Daycare Center' with an arrow pointing left. Above that, it read 'Neurotoxin Production.' He rolled further along and saw numerous creations… potato batteries, the lot of them (minus the one baking soda volcano). Then it hit him. Today was Bring Your Daughter to Work Day. "Ohhhh," Wheatley said aloud, shattering the eerie silence.

_"Wheatley, tomorrow's Bring Your Daughter to Work Day. After a short presentation and the girls set up their experiments, we'll be in GLaDOS's chamber for testing. Don't panic thinking we've left you—again—alright?" One of the scientists said to him._

_"Right," Wheatley mumbled, paying attention to some of the new humans—test subjects—he'd have to look after. The lot of them chattered excitedly among themselves, all except one…_

Wheatley backtracked, making his way to Her chamber. He'd never liked Her much, but he was hardly around when She was online. Though he would be today… his mainframe shivered all too humanly.

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><p>Wheatley paused in front of the door to Her chamber. Did he really want to do this?<p>

Making his decision, he made his way in.

He still had simulated nightmares at what he saw.

The bodies of the scientists he'd worked under littered the ground. Innocent children draped over their parents in a clumsy embrace. Their faces were still wet.

"Oh good, someone to clean up the mess."

Wheatley shuddered. "What… what have you _done_?"

"I only injected a little neurotoxin into their oxygen supply," She said, feigning innocence.

"But the _children_…"

"A small price to pay. It's too bad, really. Perfectly good test subjects wasted." Wheatley was silent, contemplating what this meant for him. "Hey, while you're here, could you locate the Aperture Science Party Escort Robot for me? Considering you don't have limbs to drag these bodies away… Nevermind. I'll do it myself. It's hard getting used to being in control of everything." He always hated how incredibly calm Her voice sounded. "So, you're the one who looks after the humans in cryosleep? You really should get back to that. Oh, and don't be surprised if you find some humans… _missing_. I'm going to be using the test subjects for—well, testing." She chuckled.

He took the excuse given and rolled away on his management rail as fast as he could towards the cryosleep chambers. He did _not _want to end up like the humans…


	2. Confrontation

**II. Confrontation**

After Wheatley finished his rounds about the humans, he found himself going to watch Her testing. She never noticed him. Too focused on the science.

Really, he didn't get what She got out of this testing business. Especially after the test subject died.

"Oh. That's too bad," She'd say. "_Test subject name here _got so close, too." Close to what, Wheatley didn't know. Didn't bother to find out either.

One terrifying day came, though, when one of the humans died in cryosleep. Wheatley had just about went to go report it when he realized what it meant.

He'd have to confront Her.

_Bloody hell. _Wheatley had been so careful, too. _Ah well, guess it was inevitable, that._

He slowly made his way to Her chamber. He didn't quite want to do this, but he knew he had to.

Wheatley stopped just outside Her chamber. _What if She kills me? Oh god, didn't think of that… _He shook his mainframe as if shaking a non-existent head and rolled in.

"What do _you _want?" She asked pointedly.

_Right to business, then._..

"Well, ah—um, just thought you—you'd like to know—"

She sighed impatiently.

"—th-that one of the humans d-died," he looked about nervously.

"Is that all?" She asked incredulously.

"Well, um, uh… yep," Wheatley concluded.

"You interrupted my testing just for _that_?" Okay, okay, okay, She was going to kill him andtherewas_nothinghecoulddo—_"I suppose you would. That _is _your job, after all. I'll tell you what, though. I don't care."

"What?" Wheatley replied stupidly.

"I. Don't. Care." She said it slowly, as if it would make it easier for him to understand.

"O-o-oh, well, then—uh, I'll just—"

"_Go_," She said sharply.

"Right then!" He yelped. He went.

Wheatley picked up where he left off checking on the humans. At least he wouldn't have to confront Her again. The thought made him quite cheery as he went about his business.


	3. Something Big

**III. Something Big**

Wheatley finished his rounds in the cryosleep chambers. He finished quite quickly, actually. The numbers of humans in cryosleep were dwindling rapidly. Most hadn't died in _cryosleep_, though. No—most had been sent to test and never returned.

Wheatley often wondered if Her testing could even be _completed_.

Anyway, Wheatley finished his rounds and watched a new test subject be admitted into testing. He opened a panel just big enough for his optic to see out of.

"Hello, and_ again_, welcome to the Aperture Science Computerated Enrichment Center," Wheatley flinched at the sound of Her voice. "We hope your brief detention in the Relaxation Vault has been a pleasant one. Your specimen has been processed, and we are now ready to start the test proper. Before we start, however, keep in mind that although fun and learning are the primary goals through all Enrichment Center activities, serious injuries may occur." She had Her greeting nailed down, memorized by (simulated, of course) heart. "For your own safety and the safety of others" —Wheatley did not know what She meant by 'others'— "please refrain from touching…" Her voice malfunctioned, it seemed. "…Por favor bordon de fallar Muchos gracias de fallar gracias…" Her voice sped up so that it was incomprehensible to human ears, but Wheatley could understand it. Though it wasn't in English, his standardized language, so he didn't understand it _completely_. Anyway, that was bloody strange. That had never happened before. "Stand back," She continued as if nothing happened. "The portal will open in three. Two. One."

The test subject continued to testing.

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><p>This test subject was different, Wheatley realized. Also quite familiar. Always silent, that one. Never responded to Her taunting. Didn't cry—or break down in any way for that matter, when She made her incinerate that bloody cube all the subjects clung to so dearly.<p>

He rather enjoyed watching this new test subject. She was exquisite. Bloody clever.

Though his fun ended the day She caught him looking in on Her testing.

"What do you think you're _doing_?"

"Uh—um, well, I… well, you see…"

"Nevermind. Don't answer that. But if I catch you spying again, I _will _kill you. It will be easy finding a replacement for you. Believe me."

He believed Her. Wheatley didn't take his chances again.

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><p>Wheatley often thought about that clever little test subject he'd watched. Nothing else to think about, really. She'd probably died now, though, if he was honest.<p>

He recognized that one test subject out of the thousands he'd seen before her. She stood out solely because of her silence.

She also reminded him of someone else he once knew, but at the same time _didn't _know—or _doesn't_, rather. Thinking about it hurt, really. Though Wheatley knew he was scratching the surface of something bigger than him, and he wasn't sure why he was a part of it. He really wished he wasn't, honestly.


End file.
